The Portrayal Of Men And Women In Advertisements

Stereotypical Images of Women in Advertisements

Discuss about the Portrayal of Men and Women in Advertisements.

In the modern world, media plays a pivotal role in disseminating information to the general public. It is used for generating awareness, spreading information, and even imparting education. Media plays a significant role in developing communication and saturating the world of industrialism through advertisements. Newspapers, social sites, new channels- all are channels to market products. Advertisements in magazines or newspapers or commercial advertisements are attention grabbing. In such a scenario, there rise some ethical issues which must be addressed. Television commercials and ads in the hoard of being successful and selling their products depict images which are detrimental to the society as a whole. The advertiser’s Advertisements are very influential in transferring both negative and positive images and messages. Moreover, they have the ability to manipulate the opinions and attitudes of men and women in the society. Individuals create cognitive schemes through the knowledge they gain from the happenings in the world. These cognitive systems are realities that exist in the society. Advertisements, in fact, shape the identity, recognition, and understanding of individuals. If this is seen in the light of the cultivation theory, it is well evident that the perceptions of social reality are shaped by what people watch or see repeatedly. Moreover, advertisements transfer the dominant ideology of hegemony. Media perpetuates a sense of domination through a focus on elites. There is a lack of gender sensitivity in media, and this is well evident from the stereotypical images portrayed. (Furnham, Adrian, and Stephanie Paltzer 2012).

From time immemorial, women have been subjected to oppression, domination, and marginalization. One may say that women have gained recognition and independence in the male dominated society. If one thinks deeply, the question arises, is it so or is it just a myth like many other that surround women? Have women gained independence from the male domination and the male gaze? The answer is self-evident from the several images of women depicted in advertisements. The portrayal of women is disparaging, derogatory, and dissimilar to that of men. Most importantly, the images of women portrayed are, in fact, social stereotypes. Magazines direct the positive energies of women into a narrow channel. The feminine framework is imposed through their pre-occupations, concerns, and aspirations. This is an undaunted realization for women as such stereotypes have been internalized by women. Moving away from those images, or breaking norms and stereotypes would make a woman feel aloof, separated, and the ‘other.’ The images that are produced are objective, portray false reality, and present an incomplete picture. (Tan et al. 2013).

Stereotypical Images of Men in Advertisements

The predominating image of women in the magazine is that of a young, domestic, weak, subordinate creature whose ultimate goal is to get married and reproduce. Women must act and behave in such a way that they fit in to the roles imposed upon them by the dominant patriarchal society. She is deemed an object and a combination of sex object, daughter, wife, and mother. She is depicted as the object of desire which must look beautiful, please men, and maintain their body.

There are several stereotypical images of men and women that are portrayed in advertisements. One stereotype regarding women is that of the homemaker or the householder. Any commercial related to household items would depict a woman. For instance, one would find a woman purchasing grocery items or making everyday purchases, shopping, cooking, or taking care of their babies. The idea of being a dutiful wife and a doting mother is perpetuated through television commercials. One would always find the mother advertising for baby foods or other baby products. She is the domestic one and hence must advertise local products, products that are utilized in regular lives. On the other hand, men are seen advertising for cars, loans, investments, businesses, and other nondomestic products. While women are shown in a homely environment, men are shown working outdoors. Women are seen advertising for cosmetics, are meant to retain their beauty forever, and must represent the physically active, healthy lifestyle. (Summers, Alicia, and Miller 2014).

Not only women, but men are also in stereotypical roles. The ‘real’ man is successful, seducer, professional, athletic, and must have a beautiful woman by his side. However, the roles in which they are portrayed vary from each other to a large extent. The advertisements mirror and shape the values prevalent in the society. The reverse is also true. Mena and women featured in advertisements are typecast. They merely adhere to the dominant social roles imposed upon them. According to the cultivation theory, the social value in a society is shaped by the present media. Media tends to shape and reshape the values. It is effective to the target audience as individuals get inspired by advertisements and try to adapt the roles that are portrayed. Advertisements affect human behavior to such an extent that even the contour and the relationship of an individual with others undergoes change. The effect is at times so much that people tend to change their perceptions about their bodies. Chan, Kara, and Yolanda Cheng. (2012)

Impact of Advertisements on Perception of Self and Others

Advertisements propose the socially constructed lifestyles and identities and form a representation of the self. Some of the stereotypical roles of women found in advertisements are that of the sex kitten, love tutor, the inciter, potential lover, and finally the homemaker. Initially, women were seen more in the traditional role of a woman that is, of a homemaker and a mother. Men were shown mostly in professional roles. In the present evolving times, the image has somewhat deviated, and the focus is now on the physical features and the body.

The following advertisement in a fashion magazine of Canada emphasizes the need for good looks and a glamorous body. The idea and image of the perfect body are perpetrated in fashion magazines. The advertisement in the fashion magazine Flare lays emphasis on party looks, styling, and the image of the ‘perfect body.’ Millions of dollars are spent on magazines and models to portray this perfect image. The foundation of this perfect body image is so strong that women hoard after this image and are ready to spend thousands of dollars on dieting, makeup and fashion. Such images are detrimental for women who crave for the glam look. It has physical as well as psychological implications on the women. The effect is so much that women have internalized this image. The role of a woman to incite men through their body shape has also been internalized by women. Women do not realize the imposition in the name of advertisements. In fact, failure to achieve the ‘look’ leads to mental stress and dissatisfaction. (Van et al. 2012). They view and identify such images with hegemonic femininity. They do not consider this role playing to be an indicator of passivity and weakness, and in control of their sexuality, but as a sign of strength. The attention of customers is held through the so called sophisticated images. 

The society in the modern world may consider themselves welcoming and progressive, but a deeper look into advertisements would unveil the veneer. Advertisements about chocolates give an insight into the inequality that is deeply rooted in the society till date. One would find extensive use of female models in advertisements. The chocolate consumer advertisements portray women who are seen enticing buyers. Such an image harks on the historical inequalities instead of running parallel to the so called progressive minds of present times. One would find a sheer objectification of women. Companies to woo customers misrepresent and objectify the body of women. (Van, Corine, and Bulck. 2016).

Negative Effects of Advertisements on Women’s Body Image

The above magazine advertisement features a semi-naked model who is flaunting her body. As is evident from the cover page, the magazine talks about ways to entice men. Such advertisements perpetuate objectification, sexualization, and stereotypes. It conveys the message that the role of a woman is to woo and seduce her partner at night and hence the tips. Moreover, it advises ways by which women can have an incredibly slim body and flaunt it. Such advertisements are, in fact, a way to convey the expectations of society from men and women. These advertisements inflict gender stereotypes.

Advertisements are judged by their ability to sell products, retain and draw the attention of customers. In the hoard of attracting customers, people associated with marketing and advertisements fail to account for the social and ethical responsibility. Advertisements play a significant role in influencing the culture of society. Thus, it is highly recommended not to show advertisements and portray images that may have an adverse impact on the masses. In the chocolate and beverage industry, one would find overtly sexualized images of women. Instead of focusing on the nutritional facts and the products itself, advertisers tend to correlate the consumption of chocolate with that of women. Promoters sell products based on the body and negative social beliefs thereby posing an adverse impact on the minds of the consumers. In the above advertisement of the chocolate brand Godiva Gems, a woman is portrayed along with the chocolate (“Wrapped Chocolates | GODIVA” 2016). Placing the women for enticing customers is often seen in chocolate advertisements. One would often come across women endorsing chocolates by smearing it on their body. Such images convey the message of romance, courtship, and sex. Thus, women are highly sexualized in such advertisements. These kinds of images render women as slaves and equivalent to chocolates who must be consumed. The focus is thus drawn through the objectification of the body. Such advertisements which use the female body would readily arouse feelings of desirability and sexuality. The provocative look of the female model in the advertisement aims at enticing customers and attracting their attention. The aesthetic appeal of feminine sexuality is thus utilized everywhere to sell products. Such sexual innuendos are incredibly male driven, sexist, and abusive. These advertisements portray sexual biases, inequality, and stereotypes. Chocolate advertisements utilize women to show that eating this particular chocolate would fulfill the sexual desires (Tan et al. 2013).

The Objectification and Sexualization of Women in Advertisements

In the automobile industry, one would find scantily clad women around cars. They are a piece of ornamentation and deemed fit for advertisement. Placing women by the side of a car for with the objective of mere ornamentation reduces the woman to the level of an object. The role thus gets stratified and narrowed down. The woman in such advertisements is portrayed as an added beauty, coveted, and exotic. She is adoration, an ornament, an accessory. She is either portrayed as the sexy prop, a hot mechanic or a sexy passenger.This depiction deems women as something to be consumed like the car. Such portrayal and objectification are widespread over media channels and magazines. Such misrepresentations affect the minds of youth. They grow and mature with these stereotypes. In these advertisements, the body of women is equivalent to the car. They are young, beautiful, tall, long legged, and thin. The image is that of a woman who is conditioned to view herself as an object. This is not the real self, and the woman is under constant transformation and alteration. She is under a disguise and is unable to discover her true self. Moreover, keeping these unnaturally beautiful women beside a car or in car advertisements convinces the customers that they would have similar beautiful women surrounding them if they buy the beautiful car. Again, the advertisements reduce the women to the level of an object very much similar to chocolate advertisements. (Verhellen, Yann, Nathalie, and Pelsmacker 2016).

In most of the automobile advertisements, women are portrayed as mothers enjoying a ride with their children. It is the husband, or the father who is seen driving the car, not the mother. The aim of such advertisements is to appeal consumers with families and talk about their safety. Women are seen cooking for their children and husbands and waiting for their husbands to come back from office. Moreover, women are never seen buying cars for themselves. It is the husband and the family for whom the woman must buy the car. In a way, the body of women is compared to a car which must be driven. Thus these images are hyper-sexualized and overtly objectify women.

Car advertisements are made keeping in mid the target audience. Car advertisements that target women would show women in domestic roles such as taking children to school or running here and there for other household errands. On the other hand, advertisements that target men would portray men typically as single, powerful, wealthy, independent, and confident. Moreover, safer and smaller cars are marketed for women while flashy, luxury branded and big cars are targeted for men (Clow et al. 2015).

The Role of Advertisers in Promoting Social and Ethical Responsibility

Advertisements of deodorants also portray women enticing men. The message is that the smell of the particular perfume or deodorant would attract the opposite sex. It would arouse sensuality and is a perfect seducer.

Through a thorough analysis of advertisements, the role of advertisements in society is well evident. Advertisements stem from the traditional roles that men and women play in their real lives. But the reverse is also true. Even though the portrayals may not be authentic but audiences try to relate themselves with the icons and assimilate the behavioral patterns and expectations. Visual illustrations are more attractive and carry a great deal of message and responsibility. Magazines in fact, are designed for the target audience. Some advertisements are typically for the male audience while some are usually for the female. Even the language used is gender specific and stereotypical in nature. Same is the case with advertisements. The picture portrayed is either of the confined traditional woman or the sex oriented beauty representing the ironic diversity. Advertisements thus perpetuate gender stereotypes and compel individuals in a hegemonic way to adapt those roles. The sad part is that there is no step on the part of women themselves to come out from such roles. The aim must be to reduce stereotypes and prejudices. However, the current situation can be changed through awareness and proper information and education. With the development of society, advertisements also evolve. To eliminate stereotypes in the society, it is essential to stop portraying such images (Zotos, Yorgos  and Tsichla 2014). There must be fluidity in the roles of men and women instead of being stereotypical. Prevalence of such images in advertisements would make the objectification a regular thing and perpetuate stereotypes.  

There are numerous advertisements that stereotype people, especially women. However, in the present times, as the outlook is evolving, so are advertisements evolving. One would find numerous advertisements where successful businesswomen are portrayed. Even men are also portrayed in some chocolate advertisements. Some advertisers have changed their sexist advertisements and instead incorporated models who are not seen enticing consumers or dressed in a semi naked way. Such advertisements reduces the gender gap and promotes success of women. They are in fact, inspiration for the thousands of people who watch them. There are advertisements that target women to be successful. They encourage the feeling of accomplishment. Depiction of women as critical and in the role of a businesswomen eliminates the objectification and hyper-sexualization of women. These kind of marketing would be very helpful in the long run to remove gender differences. 

References

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